Friday, November 7, 2008

A Butler Well Served

Amidst all of the hubbub accompanying the historic election of the first African-American man to occupy the Oval Office, there is the story of another Black man who toiled in the bowels of the White House for over three decades... and who had the honor of helping to bring President-elect Obama into office.

89-year-old Eugene Allen began his career as a White House butler at a time when segregation was still in force in the United States.

During the 1950’s and through his retirement during the Reagan administration, the only Black faces one might see in the White House were the mostly unseen and often unappreciated staff. Yet, Gene is proud to have fostered friendships with former presidents and outlived them all to see the dawn of this historic new administration.